Temperature Effect on Co-Based Catalysts in Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER), as the critical step in splitting water, is a thermodynamically “up-hill” process and requires highly efficient catalysts to run. Arrhenius’ law suggests that the higher temperature, the faster the reaction rate, so that a larger OER current density can be achieved at a lower η. Herein, we report an abnormal temperature effect on the performance of Co-based catalysts, e.g., Co₃O₄, Li₂CoSiO₄, and Fe-doped Co­(OH)_x, in OER in alkaline electrolytes. The OER performance reached a maximum when the temperature increased to 65 °C, and the OER performance declined when the temperature became higher. The mechanism was investigated by using Co₃O₄ as a model sample, and we propose that at an optimal temperature (around 55–65 °C) the main rate-determining step changes from OH^– adsorption dominant to a mixed mode and both the adsorption and the cleavage of the OH group can be rate-determining, which leads to the fastest kinetics.